Luke Santi Award

Luke Santi Memorial Award for Student Achievement

Established and funded by Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, this award is presented annually in memory of Luke Santi, who as a high school student demonstrated a passion for research and discovery, earned top marks in his courses, took part in a variety of extracurricular activities, and volunteered his time in service of others. In honour of Luke’s many accomplishments and contributions, the award is presented annually to a Canadian student who demonstrates Luke’s many qualities - academic performance, interest in science, extracurricular activities, and volunteering – and is graduating high school to begin post-secondary education in Physical Sciences at a Canadian university.

ELIGIBILITY

The award includes $1000 and the opportunity to visit Perimeter Institute for a facility tour, lunch with researchers and staff, and seminars or other scheduled events. One award will be made each year to a graduating high school student who has been accepted into a full-time academic program in Physical Sciences at a Canadian university in the fall. The successful student is expected to direct the award towards tuition for studies in physics.

This award is given to a student based on a combination of academic merit and non-academic criteria including:

Academic success in the last year of secondary studies - a minimum 80% average overall is required for this award based on copies of official high school transcripts.

Demonstrated passion for physics outside of the normal academic environment (e.g. being a member of a local amateur astronomy club, volunteering with a physics association)

Demonstrated interest in a wide range of activities outside of physics (e.g. community involvement, sports, debating clubs, etc., including volunteer activities in service of others)

Minimum of two letters of recommendation by a teacher, principal, professor or association leader (not a relative). The letters of reference will assist the selection committee in establishing the applicant’s participation and achievement in the life and activities of their school and/or community; participation in a physics stream of study; nature of the participant’s character, personal qualities and temperament, etc.

APPLICATION DETAILS

Applications for the Luke Santi Memorial Award will be accepted until May 31, 2019. Click here for the online application.

AWARD RECIPIENTS

Each year, the recipient will be chosen and notified by August 31.

One award to be given annually at $1000

T4A forms will be issued in February for the taxation year of January to December of the year prior.

Romina Abachi is a former student of Marc Garneau Collegiate Institute in Toronto, Ontario. Her academic accomplishments include the University of Ontario Institute of Technology Innovation Award and two gold medals at the Toronto Regional Sci-Tech Fair. She has also received numerous awards for having top marks at her high school, as well as in the Fermat and Fryer national math contests.

Sherry Chu is a former honour society student of Bell High School in Ottawa, Ontario and a current student at McGill University in Montreal in the Faculty of Science. Sherry's academic accomplishments include the Governor General's Academic Bronze Medal for achieving the highest standing in an institution at the secondary school level, the Walter Baker Memorial Scholarship, and the Grade 12 Physics, Chemistry, Advanced Functions, Gifted Calculus and Vectors awards, among many others.

Thomas Henbest is a former student of North Dundas District High School in Chesterville, Ontario. Among Thomas' many accomplishments, he was actively involved in high school extra-curriculars such as Student Council, where he was the School Prime Minister, and a member of the Extreme Science Brigade, which conducted experiments and shared these with the school through demonstrations and presentations.

Paul Brogee is a former student of Centre Hastings Secondary School in Madoc, Ontario. His physics teacher, Dan Walsh, was impressed with Paul's "insatiable thirst for knowledge in just about anything." Walsh noted that, "his real love, however, is physics."

In 2007, Luke was chosen from over 400 applicants to attend the International Summer School for Young Physicists (ISSYP) at Perimeter Institute. While courageously battling a form of brain cancer, Luke participated fully in the sessions and shared his passion and enthusiasm for physics with fellow ISSYP students, teachers and staff. For many years prior, Luke actively volunteered with Perimeter Institute’s Outreach Department and assisted members of the general public who attended the popular monthly Public Lecture Series and EinsteinFest events.

As a high school student at Resurrection Catholic Secondary School in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, Luke earned top marks with first-class honours in his academic studies, including the sciences, while maintaining an active extracurricular schedule involving debating clubs, robotics, ‘Reach for the Top’ teams, and captaining the district all-star volleyball and basketball teams. Luke was a regional representative to the Student Mentorship Association Regarding Technology and Science (SMARTS) program and also took part in annual science events. His achievements at the Waterloo-Wellington Science and Engineering Fairs led to his participation at the Canada-Wide Science Fair in 2005, where he joined other highly motivated and scientifically minded youth at the national level.

Luke passed away peacefully on Sunday, November 18, 2007, at the age of 16. Perimeter Institute’s Luke Santi Memorial Award for Student Achievement, honours his many accomplishments and contributions.